TEHRAN, May 6: Iran’s reformist-controlled parliament amended on Tuesday a law covering the staging of referendums, in a signal the embattled movement was pressing ahead with its plan to confront its powerful conservative opponents before the electorate.

Under the measure, a referendum can be called by the president or 100 deputies, then examined by a 15-member parliamentary commission before requiring final approval by two-thirds of Iran’s 290 MPs.

“The amendment was approved by 159 votes of the 218 deputies present at the session,” reformist MP Ali Shakourirad told AFP, adding that “the reformists wanted to show their strength and determination.”

The step comes amid reformist efforts to push through two laws bolstering the clout of President Mohammad Khatami, whose bid to liberalise Iran has been consistently blocked by hardliners in control of legislative oversight bodies, the judiciary and security services.

One bill aims to remove the power from the Guardians Council, which vets all legislation, to screen candidates for public office. Reformists see the success of this bill as key to their winning 2004 legislative elections and the 2005 presidential election, but the council has already rejected the bill.

A second measure, also set to be shot down by the Guardians Council in the coming days, would enable Khatami to challenge as unconstitutional rulings by the judiciary, a bastion of the religious right.

In the event both bills are rejected, the reformist camp is asserting its right to hold a referendum.

This is seen as a last-ditch effort to rescue Khatami’s flagging political fortunes, with many viewing him as a lame-duck.—AFP